2019 May South Alabama Electric Cooperative

Stories | Recipes | Events | People | Places | Things | Local News May 2019

South Alabama Electric Cooperative

Leaders of tomorrow

Local students visit Montgomery on cooperative Youth Tour

ALABAMA LIVING is delivered to some 420,000 Alabama families and businesses, which are members of 22 not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed and taxpaying electric cooperatives. Subscriptions are $6 a year for individuals not subscribing through participating Alabama electric cooperatives. Alabama Living (USPS 029-920) is published monthly by the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Alabama, and at additional mailing office.

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VOL. 72 NO. 1  May 2019

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POSTMASTER send forms 3579 to: Alabama Living, P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, Alabama 36124-4014.

Youth Tour students reflect on their trip to the state capital and look forward to visiting D.C.

ALABAMA RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

AREA President Fred Braswell Editor Lenore Vickrey Managing Editor Allison Griffin Creative Director Mark Stephenson Art Director Danny Weston Advertising Director Jacob Johnson Graphic Designer/Ad Coordinator Brooke Echols Communications Coordinator Laura Stewart Graphic Designer Tori McClanahan

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NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE:

National Country Market 611 South Congress Ave., Suite 504 Austin, Texas 78704 1-800-626-1181 www.nationalcountrymarket.com www.alabamaliving.coop USPS 029-920 • ISSN 1047-0311

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Flood warning

Learn how the Watershed Management Authority tracks rising water levels.

D E PA R T M E N T S

ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL OFFICES:

340 TechnaCenter Drive Montgomery, Alabama 36117-6031 1-800-410-2737 E-mail: advertising@areapower.com www.areapower.coop

From Montgomery to Washington

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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

ONLINE: EMAIL: MAIL:

www.alabamaliving.coop letters@alabamaliving.coop Alabama Living 340 Technacenter Drive Montgomery, AL 36117

In this issue: Page X Page X Page X

9 Spotlight 32 Gardens 29 Around Alabama 42 Outdoors 43 Fish & Game Forecast 46 Cook of the Month 54 Hardy Jackson’s Alabama ONLINE: alabamaliving.coop ON THE COVER: SAEC recently sponsored a group of local high school juniors to attend the Montgomery Youth Tour in March. The students toured historical sites and learned more about electric cooperatives. See story, page 6.

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Summer adventures Board of Trustees James Shaver President District 2

Delaney Kervin Vice President District 5

Douglas Green Secretary/Treasurer District 6

Bill Hixon District 1

James May At Large

Glenn Reeder District 7

Raymond Trotter District 3

David Bailey, General Manager I’ve always felt like May is the month that really kicks off summer. Growing up, this was when I’d be looking forward to playing with my cousins at our granddaddy’s farm during the summer.

Granddaddy was fortunate enough to own land with creeks that ran to the Pea River, so we spent countless summer days exploring every twist and turn of those creeks. Sometimes the water would run underground and we’d try to find where it came back up somewhere else, or we would hit a boggy patch of ground and imagine we were sinking in quicksand.

We explored nature in that way because of the Pea River watershed, which led all those creeks back to the Pea River itself. In this month’s magazine, you can learn more about the Pea River watershed and other watersheds in the SAEC area.

I hope you’ll take a moment to read about the work the Choctawhatchee, Pea and Yellow Rivers Watershed Management Authority is doing here, as well as some important information about its warning system. There are still too many people who lose their lives to flooding, so please take a look and make sure you know what to do if the waters start to rise.

When school lets out, kids have the chance to find their own summer adventures or get a summer job. It’s also a time when teachers get a well-earned break.

I live in a house full of teachers, so it feels as if everyone gets to take off at this time of year but me. Fortunately, May is still a special month for everyone in our household as my oldest daughter and I celebrate our birthdays.

I have always felt honored to share a birthday on May 29 with our late president, John F. Kennedy. In his only inaugural address he urged the country to “Ask not what your

country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” May is also a time when we all observe Memorial Day, providing an opportunity to honor the men and women who gave their lives for this country. These men and women surely answered President Kennedy's call to the fullest.

It’s because of their sacrifice that we have the freedom to move where we want, see any part of this beautiful country and freely express our own thoughts. We may not always agree with each other, but we should never take for granted the price these men and women paid so we have that right.

One thing that gives me hope for the future of this country is the young people we have right here in our own community. In March, SAEC once again sent a group of local students to Montgomery for the Alabama Rural Electric Association Youth Tour.

I had the pleasure of seeing our own Max Copeland, from last year’s tour, represent the state of Alabama at the NRECA annual meeting in Orlando, Florida in March. It was inspiring to see these young people interacting with cooperative leaders from across the nation.

It gives me hope for the next generation, and it’s important to give these kids opportunities to succeed through programs like the Youth Tour. You can read more in this magazine about this year’s attendees and what they learned.

I hope you all have a chance to enjoy this temperate weather before we enter the full sweltering heat of summer. And remember to take a moment this Memorial Day to give a special prayer of thanks for the men and women who dedicated their lives to this country. God bless America, and God bless you and your families. n

SAEC’S sma phone app

SAEC Connect

keeps you in control

4 MAY 2019

www.alabamaliving.coop

PAY WHEN YOU WANT WITH PRE-PAY BILLING South Alabama Electric Cooperative’s Pre-Pay Billing Program lets you make a payment when it best fits into your schedule.

Contact Information Mailing address P.O. Box 449 Troy, AL 36081 Phone 334-566-2060 800-556-2060

Pre-Pay Billing gives SAEC members greater control, allowing you to monitor electricity usage throughout the month and to avoid unwelcome surprises at the end of the month.

Website www.southaec.com

How does it work?

Find us here:

Think of Pre-Pay Billing like the gas tank of your car: You put money into your electric account just like you would fill your tank with gas. When your account starts running low, just add more money at any time, day or night, to keep the lights on.

Sign into your account online or through the SAEC app to: • Track your usage from any given day, week or month and compare it to past years.

• Make a payment whenever you want.

• Access your account on the go.

• Set up text or email alerts to let you know when your account balance is running low.

Best of all, there is no deposit when you sign up for Pre-Pay Billing. Just add money to your account and start putting it toward your electric usage immediately. There are also no connection or reconnection fees if your lights go out.

Sign up today by visiting our office or calling 1-800-556-2060! n

Tf Payment Options SAEC App Available from the App Store and Google Play

BY MAIL P.O. Box 449 Troy, AL 36081 WEBSITE www.southaec.com PHONE PAYMENTS 877-566-0611, credit cards accepted NIGHT DEPOSITORY Available at our Highway 231 office, day or night PAYMENT POINTS Regions Bank - Troy branch Troy Bank and Trust - all branch locations 1st National Bank of Brundidge and Troy First Citizens - Luverne branch Banks Buy Rite - Banks Country 1 Stop - Honoraville IN PERSON 13192 U.S. 231, Troy, AL 36081 Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Questions?

For questions concerning Capital Credits, contact: capital.credits@southaec.com For questions concerning Billing, contact: billing@southaec.com For questions concerning Construction, contact: construction@southaec.com Alabama Living

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D.C. BOUND! Burgess and Starling to represent SAEC at Youth Tour South Alabama Electric Cooperative recently chose two outstanding high school juniors from the region to take part in the 2019 Washington Youth Tour in June.

The cooperative selected Luverne High School student Ma’Kayla Burgess and Pike Liberal Arts High School student Megan Starling for the trip to the nation’s capital after they attended the Alabama Rural Electric Association Montgomery Youth Tour in March with 10 other local students.

The annual, all-expenses-paid trips are part of SAEC’s commitment to furthering the success of the region’s young people, says Andy Kimbro, SAEC’s manager of member services.

The Alabama Rural Electric Association started the Montgomery trip, which took place March 12-14 and gave over 150 students from across the state a chance to tour various sites, including the Alabama Archives, the Civil Rights Memorial, the Alabama State Capitol and State House and Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church. They also met state representatives and learned about the unique cooperative business model and its role in rural development.

Mostly, however, the trips give good students a chance to find their way to greatness, Kimbro says. “The Youth Tour programs give these students a chance to learn about history

SAEC recently sponsored 12 high school juniors for a trip to visit the State Capitol in Montgomery. Pictured front row, from left, are Kailyn Butts, Hannah Huner, Megan Starling, Porter Lankford and Sarah Elizabeth Calhoun. Back row, from left, are Anna Lowe, Libbey Jones, Riley Marchand, Eli Grice, Emily Wise, Shakira Upshaw and Ma’Kayla Burgess.

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www.alabamaliving.coop

and government while increasing their leadership skills,” he says.

“We’re proud that, as a cooperative, we can help them build on all the positive things they want to achieve.”

SAEC selected Burgess and Starling from the 12 local students who went on the Montgomery Youth Tour. The Washington Youth Tour will take place June 14-20. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and electric cooperatives from all over the country sponsor the event, which will give students a chance to meet with national leaders and students from nearly every state in the country.

“It’s about building leaders for tomorrow,” Kimbro says. “When they get out of college or start working, they’re going to be our leaders in the community. We want them to be knowledgeable about cooperatives and what they stand for.”

Onward

Both Starling and Burgess say they’re excited about touring the nation’s capital and all the museums, memorials and institutions it has to offer. They also can’t wait to learn more about history and government and learn to lead. When they get to Washington, they’ll join over 1,000 other students whose trips rural cooperatives across the U.S. will sponsor.

Starling, a 17-year-old who plays clarinet, heads her school band’s library committee that keeps track of the program’s music.

Alabama Living

And while she loves the arts, she also hopes to become a veterinarian and attend Auburn University’s prestigious College of Veterinary Medicine one day. She thinks the Youth Tour sponsorships could play a part in her future success. “It’s unreal,” Starling says. “I’m so excited. I was shocked I was chosen to go. I’m really happy and humbled at the same time.”

Burgess, also 17, serves in her school’s HOSA club for future health care professionals and manages the varsity girls’ basketball team. She’s also interested in journalism after having spent some time with her school’s former news broadcasting show, WLHS Action News. “I’ve never been to Washington, D.C.,” Burgess says. “I’m so excited to be able to go. I can’t wait to see all the monuments and learn more about history and meet new people.”

Both students say they were surprised at how much they learned during the Montgomery trip. A big hit for attendees of the event was a talk from motivational speaker Cea CohenElliott. “She was amazing,” Burgess says. “She talked about her life, and she told us that every day we should wake up with a purpose.”

Starling says one of her favorite trips on the Montgomery tour was a visit to the Alabama Archives. “It’s hard for me to pick out one thing I liked most because everything was really good,” she says. “But the Archives was probably the best. I think it was just seeing all the artifacts with a good tour guide. Seeing all the hisMAY 2019 7

tory of Alabama just laid out made me think. It was like a walk through where we came from and where we are now.”

During the Washington Youth Tour, Burgess and Starling will join other students for fun-filled activities and visits to the U.S. Capitol, the Korean and Vietnam memorials, the Kennedy Center,

Arlington National Cemetery, the Lincoln Memorial and the Smithsonian Institution. They’ll also visit elected officials to learn how government works while learning more about rural electrification and its importance in the nation’s development as a leading force in the world.

“We see this as a way to invest in our

Max Copeland, a 2018 SAEC youth tour delegate, speaks about his experience to this year's attendees.

SAEC students visited the State Capitol to learn about Alabama’s rich history.

youth because we believe that’s an investment in the cooperative’s future,” Kimbro says. “These juniors will hopefully wind up being members one day, and they’ll be better members for it.” n

Delegates get to visit historical sites like Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church.

SAEC students visited with their local legislators during the Montgomery Youth Tour.

ABOUT THE YOUTH TOURS Lyndon Johnson inspired the idea for the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in 1957 in Washington, D.C., when he addressed the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association annual meeting.

At the time, Johnson was still a senator. “If one thing comes out of this meeting, it will be sending youngsters to the national capital where they can actually see what the flag stands for and represents,” Johnson told the attendees.

Since then, nearly 50,000 students from rural areas and small towns across America have participated in the program. They get to see the nation’s capital up close, learn about the political 8 MAY 2019

process and interact with their elected officials. Students apply to attend the program through their local electric cooperatives.

SAEC will begin accepting applications from students for the Montgomery Youth Tour later this year. If you’re a junior during the 2019-20 school year and attending a high school in Pike, Coffee or Crenshaw County, or your parents are members of SAEC, you’re eligible to apply. For more information or an application, talk to your school guidance counselor.

Two students from the Montgomery Youth Tour will be selected to go on to the Washington Youth Tour. www.alabamaliving.coop

ÍÍArts and Crafts ÍÍFood ÍÍKids activity area ÍÍEntertainment

Contact Dixie Shehane at 334-735-9191 | www.brundidgealabama.com 50 MAY 2019

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WHEN THE WATERS RISE Gauges like these measure rising rainfall and water levels. That data is used to forecast flood levels so the National Weather Service can declare flood warnings.

South Alabama is blessed with an abundance of rivers and streams that provide water to many of our homes and irrigation to countless farming operations. But when water levels rise, those assets can quickly become a hazard.

Fortunately, the Choctawhatchee, Pea and Yellow Rivers Watershed Management Authority is always monitoring local water levels so local residents have an early warning when there is a risk of flooding.

How does the WMA measure water levels?

In 1993, after decades of flooding, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Water Management Authority installed a basinwide flood warning system throughout southeast Alabama — the first of its kind in the state. The system consists of 22 rain and river gauges at strategic points in eight counties.

Each of these 12-foot standpipes is equipped with a “tipping bucket” that measures rainfall and pressure transducers that measure river levels. When one of these gauges records at least 0.04 inches of rainfall or a 1.5-inch water level rise in a river, it sends a report to base computers in New Brockton, Elba and Geneva.

During periods of heavy rainfall or severe weather, this data is transmitted to Emergency Management Agency offices and the National Weather Service to declare official flood warnings. n

How can I get flooding updates?

If you live near a river, staying up to date on flooding can save your life and your property. But tracking rainfall levels can also be beneficial to farmers trying to get the most out of their crops.

South Alabama residents can access that information and more by going to

Alabama Living

www.cpyrwma.alabama.gov and clicking the “Flood Warning System” tab. The “Flood Warning System” button at the bottom of the screen will then take you to a page where you can view a map of the data collected by every gauge on the Watershed Management Authority’s system.

This information can provide a crucial early warning when water levels are rising. To sign up for text or email alerts when a flood warning is issued, contact the Emergency Management Agency in your county or use an app like Alabama SAF-T-Net to receive notifications about threatening weather near you.

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